18-day Backpacking Tour of China | Beijing – Beijing

18 days / 17 nights -

This jam-packed tour takes you camping out on a remote section of the Great Wall for an unforgettable sunrise, bamboo rafting in Yangshuo, biking on Xi’an’s ancient city walls, visiting adorable pandas in Chengdu, the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an, and learning some awesome Kungfu moves from Shaolin monks. Foodies will get to enjoy mouthwatering Sichuan hotpot, farm-fresh meals, and even scorpions and snakes! Check out the details below and contact us to ask any questions or book :)

Itinerary

Day 1: Beijing

Meet Group in the bar of Beijing’s Heyuan Hostel for a short pre-departure briefing. Transfer by metro to Beijing train station and board your train to Shanghai. Learn about Beijing

DAY 2-4: Shanghai

With a fascinating modern history and sizzling economy, Shanghai dazzles as an epic place for nightlife, Western comforts, getting lost and much, much more. Learn about Shanghai

Day 5-8: Yangshuo

Towering karst peaks, a carpet of green, fertile fields and a never-ending list of activities; rafting on the Li river, mud baths, cycling, cooking, swimming and more. Learn about Yangshuo

Day 9-11: Chengdu

Find yourself in the slow-paced heart of Western China, enjoying tea houses, pandas, Buddhist shrines, spicy hot-pot, temples, and as much KTV as you can handle! Learn about Chengdu

Day 12-13: Xi'an

Experience the medieval feel in this ancient ‘frontier’ city. Stroll the Muslim quarter, barter for souvenirs, cycle the huge, old city walls, and try local delicacies. Learn about Xi’an

Day 14-15: Shaolin

An unforgettable time at the Shaolin temple. Learn Kungfu from a monk and really get to know the locals as you hike and discover this tranquil, ancient place. Learn about Shaolin

Day 16-18: Beijing

Camp out under the stars on a remote section of the Great Wall. After an unforgettable sunrise, head back to the city for more history, culture and food. Learn about Beijing

Day 1: Beijing

Meet Group in bar of Beijing’s Heyuan Hostel for a short predeparture briefing.

Transfer by metro to Beijing train station and board your train to Shanghai

Day 2-4: Shanghai

Optional: Walk to the Yu Gardens and back a bustling historical site of a former dignitaries lavish family quarters

Optional: See People’s Square, before heading on to the World’s busiest shopping street, Nanjing Road. Afterwards, go for a walk along the bund, a hub of global architecture. To finish off, head to the top floor of a skyscraper to enjoy some champagne whilst sitting in a hot tub.

Stroll through the former French Concession to hear a little bit about Shanghai’s international history, visit a secretive propaganda history museum, take in the sights of the ultra modern Shanghai financial district, take a local ferry cross the famouse Huangpu river from east to the west of The Bund and finish off the afternoon by visiting TianZiFang a local artisan’s lane that blends the chique and traditional

Group dinner near Hostel

Join up with the group travelling to Guilin at the rooftop Bar of the Phoenix to head down to Yangshuo!

Day 5-8: Yangshuo

Try your hand at cooking up some traditional Chinese foods at this friendly and practical local cuisine institute

Group Lunch

Unmissable Activity: Cruise down the Yulong River on these Chinese style Gondolas – Bamboo Rafts! Bikes included to ride around! (please make sure you wear a helmet at all times when you are riding your bike!)

Optional: Cormorant Fishing

Optional: Bike Ride to Moon Hill and a cave complex including mudbaths and hot springs

Day 12-13: Xi’an

Optional: Explore the Bell Drum towers, Muslim Quarter and Great Mosque to learn about the history of the Silk Road, towers , mosque and some local legends.

Enjoy a dinner of local street foods at the Muslim Quarter. Relax after dinner by visiting the local Silk Road market nearby.

Optional: Volunteer at a the Star Sun Home

Un-missable Attraction – Terracotta Warriors – Free

Optional: Bike Ride on Ming Dynasty City Walls. Please make sure you wear a helmet!

Day 14-15: Shaolin

Board a private minivan then a bus to DengFeng, the closest village to the Shaolin Temple

Arrive in DengFeng

Optional: Kungfu Lesson & Show at a local Children’s Home run by the Shaolin Temple where the monks teach these children to be Kungfu masters. All proceeds go directly to the Children’s Home.

Dinner in the Guesthouse

Mandarin lesson: Have your second Mandarin lesson

Optional: Visit the flagship of Kung Fu, The Shaolin Temple

Optional: Hike to Dharma Cave, a spiritual spot for Buddhist pilgrims, and be rewarded by beautiful views of both the shrines/temples in the area and the views of the area

Have a late lunch at the guesthouse then pack and check out

Depart to Zhengzhou to board your train to Beijing

Arrive at the train station and have some food before your train leaves

Day 16-18: Beijing

Arrive Beijing and meet your next Adventure Leader. Transfer by minibus to hostel. You won’t be staying the night here, so you won’t be able to get into rooms, but can use the shower rooms, and common areas to relax before heading to the Wall in the afternoon

Mandarin lesson: Have your 3rd Mandarin Lesson

It’s time for the Mandarin Challenge! Use your freshly learned Mandarin to complete challenges around Beijing’s ancient streets and alleyways. The winning team earns a prize.

Mandatory meal at a local farm to obtain permission to access the locals only sections of the unrestored Great Wall

Unmissable Attraction – Hike on totally unrestored sections of the Wall before setting up camp on a deserted section of the wall to watch the sunset on one of the Wonders of the World (Please note, due to cold weather before end of April and after September, we stay in a guest house near the Wall instead of camping, but still return to the Wall to watch sunrise in the morning)

Unmissable Attraction – Sunrise on the Wall

Return to Beijing

Optional: Visit the Olympic Bird’s Nest stadium designed by one of the most controversial figures in modern China

Optional:A stunning Chinese Acrobatics Performance performed by young talents recruited from around China

Optional: Take a walk through the globally recognized, Tiananmen Square

Optional: Visit the Forbidden City. The largest palatial complex in the world, the grounds boast 980 buildings, and a history of housing 24 different Chinese royalty

Optional: Go to Jingshan park for a bird’s eye view of the three palaces: Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and Tiananmen Square.

Test your bargaining skills in the Fake Goods Market!

Push your taste buds to the limit at the WangFuJing night market where you can sample most foods you’ve never tried, like scorpion, dog, cat, bugs and more

Finish up – say goodbye to your fellow Dragons as they continue on their journey.

Departures 2017/2018

Departing

Finishing

Price

Status

30th Mar, 2018

16th Apr, 2018

FULLY BOOKED

1st Apr, 2018

18th Apr, 2018

FULLY BOOKED

8th Apr, 2018

25th Apr, 2018

FULLY BOOKED

20th Apr, 2018

7th May, 2018

FULLY BOOKED

29th Apr, 2018

16th May, 2018

20th May, 2018

6th Jun, 2018

27th May, 2018

13th Jun, 2018

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31st May, 2019

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7th Jun, 2019

24th Jun, 2019

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23rd Jun, 2019

10th Jul, 2019

28th Jun, 2019

15th Jul, 2019

30th Jun, 2019

17th Jul, 2019

5th Jul, 2019

12th Jul, 2019

12th Jul, 2019

29th Jul, 2019

14th Jul, 2019

31st Jul, 2019

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7th Aug, 2019

28th Jul, 2019

14th Aug, 2019

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19th Aug, 2019

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21st Aug, 2019

9th Aug, 2019

26th Aug, 2019

11th Aug, 2019

28th Aug, 2019

18th Aug, 2019

4th Sep, 2019

25th Aug, 2019

11th Sep, 2019

30th Aug, 2019

16th Sep, 2019

1st Sep, 2019

18th Sep, 2019

8th Sep, 2019

25th Sep, 2019

13th Sep, 2019

30th Sep, 2019

15th Sep, 2019

2nd Oct, 2019

22nd Sep, 2019

9th Oct, 2019

29th Sep, 2019

16th Oct, 2019

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21st Oct, 2019

6th Oct, 2019

23rd Oct, 2019

13th Sep, 2019

30th Oct, 2019

20th Oct, 2019

6th Nov, 2019

27th Oct, 2019

13th Nov, 2019

Price includes:

Bilingual Adventure Leaders

Accommodation (hostels, guest houses, and 1 night camping)

Transport within China

All unmissable activities (see itineraries)

Please note: Accommodation is in dorm rooms as a standard.

Upgrade options (to single, twin, or double rooms) are available - please contact us for more information.

All our hostels have WIFI

Upgrades, extras & payments

Need hostels booked for after your trip ends? We are more than happy to help - just let us know what you need!

A deposit is required to make a reservation, with the balance due one month prior to departure (unless booking with one of our promotions, for which specific balance due dates may apply). The deposit is £200 GBP / $300 USD / $300 AUD / €300 EUR.

For customers making payment from the UK: please note that when you are making a payment into our US dollar account you must request your bank to send the money directly to our US dollar account at HSBC UK. Otherwise they may use an intermediary bank resulting in an added wiring fee charged to you of $25.00.

Late booking customers must understand that they may be sat separately from the rest of the group on trains, and may have to be booked into a separate dorm room. No bookings can be accepted within 18 days of a trip departure date.

If you would like to alter your trip itinerary from the one provided to you by us then please let us know more than 30 days before your trip departs so that we can make your trip the perfect one for you! When you let us know that means we can relay all information to our on the ground staff and make the appropriate arrangements. Some such requests from previous Dragon Trippers are: I would like to skip Macau and go directly to Hong Kong from Fujian, I don’t need accommodation in Shanghai because I am staying with a friend, I would not like to camp on the wall and instead want to stay in regular accommodation, I would like to take a flight instead of a train for certain legs of the trip. Please let us know more than 30 days in advance. If you do not let us know in advance The Dragon Trip will not be responsible for assisting you, or for providing reimbursement for accommodations or transportation not used.

Room and train upgrades for the entirety of this route are available. Room upgrade requests must be communicated to the Dragon Trip before the start of the trip. Customers wishing to upgrade once the trip has started must do so independently. Train upgrades are unavailable once train tickets have been booked.

Room upgrades are $375 USD. Train upgrades are $206.25 USD.

The Dragon Trip provides, upon request, airport transfers. The price is GBP 30 for a pick up and GBP 30 for a drop-off. This will be in private transportation (up to 4 PAX). If you’d like a bilingual guide to meet you and ride with you from the airport to your destination, or vice versa, it is GBP 20 for a pick up and GBP 20 for a drop off (up to 3 PAX). This service is available from and to the following airport locations: Guilin, Chengdu, Xian, Beijing, and Shanghai.

Other

Please take note if you wish to use your own camera/phone to take photos and videos that is absolutely fine. However, The Dragon Trip runs a no drone policy for our China trips.

All train tickets in China must be purchased through a central booking centre which means there is always a small chance that you may not be seated together with the person that you have booked the tour together with. If you or your PAX has a seat that is not next to the group’s our Adventure Leaders have a process to help you switch your tickets, so that you are seated next to the group. (In some train stations, the Adventure Leader will be able to board the train even when they won’t be travelling themselves. In this case, they will switch you or your PAXs tickets with a local so that Dragon Trippers can sit together. Every group travels with a Dragon Trip emergency phone. In the case that our Adventure Leader cannot board the train, they will be able to explain in Mandarin over the phone to a conductor, or directly to a local passenger to help switch seats so that Dragon Trippers may be seated together.)

To book or find out more, contact us

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